Domestic boiler



p 1932 E. c. SFAUFFER 1,876,475

DOMESTIC BOILER Filed March 30. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 6, 1932. E. c. STAUFFER DOMESTIC BOILER Filed March 30, 195 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. C. STAUFFER DOMESTIC BOILER Sept. 6, 1932.

Filed March 30, 1931 5 sheets Sheec 5 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 PATENT oFFIcE EARL SIAUFEEB- or PANCASTER, E Ns L eN molans nc BOILER Application filed March 80,

'l he present invention relates to boilers of the domestic heating type, and method of operation thereof, and consists in the combi nations and arrangements of elements of ap,-.

3 paratus, and function or operation thereof, as hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the accompanying claims. I

In ordinary domestic boilers whe re., the combustion chamberor fire place is located below the water boaybotn the-water. travel and course of products of combpstion are upwardly, ano. also there is-internaLwater Circulation in the boiler proper which creates considerable resistance to thefiow .of hot water to the-radiators of the heating system.

These conditions are due to the-fact that the beaten water or lower-strata theneofmust move upwardly and Ldisplace cold water at the top and this condition Qbtajinsl the temperature of the whole Water body has be;- come substantially nniformbr highenough to cause circulation; through the system, and consequently considerable itime is lost in bringing the heating system-to proper. temperature.

A further defect'in this .operationof updraft fired boilers is that in their upward travel the heated gases or products ,of com: bastion do not have sufiicient or long enough contact with the boiler surfaces, or stated in another way, the heated gases pass up too quicicly and out of the furnace and thereby do not ive that rubbing or contact effect against the boiler surfaces which they must necessarily do for maximum recovery of heat 3036s from fuel consumed. All-the foregoing obviouslv operates to lessened efficiency and needlessly high cost of operation;

To overcome these disadvantages the present purpose is to fprovide a top-fired .and down-draft type 0 boiler which-1s characterized in having the heating flame .at .the to of the boiler where, acting on a relatively thin water film, steam or hot water will be quickly generated and caused to promptly travel through the water pipe or the" heating system'i'n a relatively short timeafter start-' ing the fire. Furthermore, by having the 50 heat at its highest temperature appliediat the top of the boiler and the lowest temperature 1931. Serial N0. 526,473.

of the heat at the bottom the boiler operato to create a more efficient and rapid rate 0? heat transfer. Thus the downward course of heatinggases being counted to the direction of normall travel (i. e. upwardly said are crowded or packed against the side walls of the'boiler.

The invention further contemplates ,con str icting a boiler of this type having a bypass exhaust or smoke box permitting any un- 0 burned or unignited gases to not accumulate sufficiently ong to permit of proper mixture for combustion in the event of ignition failure. Another object of the invention is to equip the boiler with an auxiliary or inde; g pendent unit to heat water for domestic consumption and. in having an incinerator selfcontained within the boiler structure and efficiently operated thereby. That is to say, the incinerator here proposed has its own heating unit supplied entirely through the heat of the boiler proper.

l-he invention is shown by way of illustra tion in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

- Figure MS a perspective view of the boiler 76 complete.

' Figure 2 a similar view showing a slightly modified construction.

Figure 3 a central sectional view of the preferred type of boiler.

' Figure 4 a longitudinal sectional thereof.

Figure 5 a detailed perspective view showing one of the boiler units or sections.

Figure .6 a perspective view of the incinerator unit.

Figure 7 a detailed view in section showing the coupling joint between two boiler units,and

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view of '90 a modified type of boiler.

Referring to the construction in further detail,.and wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the different figures shown, the boiler consists of a plurality of sections or .units 9 preferably of the design shown in Figure 5 and which are assembled :back-to-back and secured by suitablecouplings 10 having adjustable engageview ment with .the screw-threaded portions 11 thermore designedand. locatedin such relation that they form bafiles serving to' provide definite channel-ways or passages for circulation of the products of combustion as will be understood.

In their assembled relation the sections provide a continuous fuel combustion cham her or fire place extending from the front to the 'rear of the boiler, and located'therein is a gas or oil fuel burner 16 of any approved type substantially 'co-extensive' in length with the fire place. The burner 16 is equipped with a fuel supply pipe 17 having a reducing valve 18, and a pilot light appa ratus 19 in the usual way. In the construe tion shown herein there are four sections'as sembled though it will be understood, of course, a lesser or greater number maybe connected. In either event the whole is formed-into a single unitary structure having a suitable asbestos lining 20 as indicated in Figures 3,7 and 8, and any desired form of sheet metal 21 forms the boiler casing as indicated in Figures 1 and 2.

-A flue 22 leading to atmosphere is connected to communicate with the boiler through the pipes or tubes 23 and 24 located respectively at the upper and lower flue fit tings 25 and 26 as in Figure 4:. A water supply pipe 27 leads to the boiler and a similar pipe 28 has suitable connection with the radiator of the heating system.

n It will be noted that the construction and design of boiler unit (Figure 5) is of appreciably lesser width at the bottom than at the *top, the purpose whereof being to provide constricted passageways between the several sections and having their decreasing dimensions in the direction of flow of combustion products. That is to say, the spaces between the several sections are relatively more narrow at the bottom than at the top to the end of'more efficiently accommodating or allowing for the decrease in volume of the heating gases progressively as they pass from the n region of greatest temperature to the region of lesser temperature. By this arrangement a maximum efficiency of the boiler is obtained inasmuch as the tendency to crowding of heating gases as they move down wardly insures their rubbing against and having close and intimate contact with the water surface of the boiler in those regions thermore keeps the potential heatv flow at various positions of the boiler at a true balancesince the returning hot water of the heating system Will enter the boiler at its least active position or coldest part causing a gradual warming up as it travels through the boiler and thereby eliminates the possibility 'offsudden'contraction which frequent- 1y causes breakage or cracking in the apparatus of up-draft fired boilers.

By this downward .decrease in width of the boiler within'the casing there is provided suitable spaces 29 and 30 to either side which are utilized to receive a suitable water heater 31 and an incinerator 32 as shown in Figure 3. The heater 31 is equipped with the usual inlet and outlet water pipes '33 and 34' respectively. The incinerator 32 is provided with a plurality of apertures '35 uniformly spread over the adjacent boiler surface 36 to the end of admitting the maximum of heated gases within the space orchamber 30, and a suitable flue 37 connects withpipe 38 leading to the outlet flue "22- (see Figure An opening 39 gives access'to' the incinerator through the ash door 40; and a similar material feeding door '41 communicates with the incinerator from the outside.-

Inthe arrangement disclosed in Figure 8 the construction is in all respects the same as that described above excepting that in this instance the boiler units slope from one side as distinct from-both sides as in Figure 5. In" this-arrangementKFigu-re 8) the space between 'the boiler units and the casing is utilized to hold the incinerator 32. In all other respects the arrangement and manner of operation'of the boiler'are the same as that in the Figures 3'and4; i

- When in the ordinary boiler an intermittent fire is employed there is considerable heat lost due to cold air-passingup or through the boiler when the fire stops. This cold air travels athigh velocity through all the passageways through the ordinary boiler absorbing the=heat from the internal surfaces. In the construction :of boiler disclosed herein there is a'direct flue passageway open when the fire is off and consequently yold air does not pass through the entire bo;.ler but only through the relatively small open section at the top thereby reducingthe heat lost while the fire is not-in operation.

Further advantages in the operation of the boiler are: First, increased velocity due to the constricted passageways between the boiler sections; secondly, the velocity of gases with relation to the water is materially increased due to the counter flow of gas and water.-

It is to be understood the invention is not limited to the details of construction here shown and described, but that these may be varied widely without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a domestic boiler the combination of a plurality of sections assembled in spaced relation providing combustion passageways therebetween, means restricting the flow of gases to the combustion passageways between the sections each of said sections being of decreasing cross-section downwardly whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is coldest, and a fuel burner located at the upper portion of the boiler as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a domestic boiler the combination of a plurality of sections, means restricting the How of gases to the combustion passageways between the sections said sections having contacting flange portions arranged to provide circuitous passages therebetween for combustion gases, said sections being of decreasing cross-section downwardly whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water coldest, and a fuel burner located at the upper portion of the boiler, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a domestic boil-er the combination of a plurality of sections, means restricting the flow of gases to the combustion passageways between the sections said sections having contacting flange portions arranged to provide circuitous passages therebetween for combustion gases, a fuel burner located at the upper portion of the boiler, and all of said sections being of decreasing cross-section downwardly whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is coldest, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a top-fired down-draft boiler the combination of a plurality of sections assembled in spaced relation and having registering openings providing a fuel burning chamber adjacent the top of the boiler, means restrict ing the flow of gases to the combustion passageways between the sections, a fuel furner in said chamber, and said boiler sections being of decreasing cross-section downwardly whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is coldest, as and for the purpose set forth.

5'. In a top-fired down-draft boiler the combination of a plurality of sections assembled in spaced relation and having registering openings providing a fuel burning chamber adjacent the top of the boiler, a fuel burner in said chamber, means restricting the flow of gases to the combustion passage ways between the sections flanges formed on opposite sides of the sections providing circuitous. passages for combustion gases between the respective sections, and said boiler sections being of decreasing cross-section downwardly whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is coldest, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a top-fired down-draft boiler the combination of. a plurality of sections assembled in spaced relation and having registering openings providing a fuel burning chamber adjacent the top of the boiler, a fuel burner in said chamber, an inclosing casing for the boiler, said sections being of decreasing width downwardly whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is coldest, the lower ends of said sections also providing a space Within the casing, and an auxiliary heating apparatus located in said space, substantially as set forth.

7. In a top-fired down-draft boiler the combination of a plurality of sections assembled in spaced relation and having registering openings providing a fuel burning chamber adjacent the top of the boiler, a fuel burner in said chamber, an inclosing casing for the boiler, said sections being of decreasing width downwardly whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is coldest, the lower ends of said sections also providing spaces to either side within the casing, and an auxiliary heating apparatus located in each of said spaces respectively, substantially as set forth.

8. In a top-fired down-draft boiler the combination of a plurality of sections assembled in spaced relation and having registering openings providing a fuel burning chamber adjacent the top of the boiler, a fuel burner in said chamber, an inclosing casing for the boiler, said sections being of decreasing width downwardly providing spaces to either side of the sections within the casing, and an auxiliary water heater and an incinerator located in said spaces respectively, substantially as set forth.

9. A section for a top-fired down-draft boiler comprising a unitary casting constructed of decreasing cross-section downwardly said section adapted to'be contained in a closely fitting casing whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is coldest, and said casting having an opening adjacent the top thereof to receive a fuel burner, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. A section for a top-fired down-draft boiler comprising a unitary casting construct ed of decreasing cross-section downwardly said section adapted to be contained in a closely fitting casing whereby to cause crowding of heating gases as they 'move downwardly and insure their rubbing against the water surface of the boiler where the water is cold est, and said casting having an opening adjacent the top thereof to receive a fuel burner, flanges formed on opposite sides of the casting providing circuitous passageways for combustion gases when the sections are assembled, as and for the purpose set forth. 11.. In a top-fired down-draft boiler the combination of a plurality of sections assembled in spaced relation and having registering openings providing a fuel burning chamher adjacent the top of the boiler, a fuel burn-er in said chamber, a casing for the boiler, said sections being of decreasing area downwardly providing a space on oneside within said casing, and an incinerator located in said space, said incinerator having openings formed in the side thereof immediately adjacent the f surface of the sections, as and for the purpose set'forth. I

12. A section for a top-fired down-draft boiler having an opening adjacent the :top thereof to receive a fueliburner, a projecting flangealong the'bottom and side edges of said opening adapted to cause the products of combustion to pass upwardly from the burner chamber when the sections are assembled as and for the purpose set-forth.

13. A section for atop-fired down-draft boiler having an opening adjacent the top thereof, said openings providing a fuel burn ing chamber when the. sections are assembled; laterally projecting flanges alongthe bottom and side edgesT--of said openings adapted to contact with corresponding flanges on adjacent sections when the sections are assembled thereby causing the products of combustion to pass upwardly from the chamber and thence downwardly between the sections as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

EARL o. STAUFFER. 

